UNASUR Becomes Reality Following Uruguayan Ratification

Today is a big day for South American Politics.

The constitution of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) was ratified by Uruguay, which means that it will now enter into legal being on March 11th as an official recognized regional association of states, similar to ASEAN in South East Asia, and NATO in Europe and North America.

UNASUR members include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador,Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Canada is not a member, nor are there any plans for it become an observer associate state.

This multilateral institution is a 'collective security' body meant to deter each member from aggression against other member states, as well as to protect the region's historically shaky democracies against subversion. It also provides a forum for the nations of South America to discuss economic development and trade policies.

UNASUR first convened a Defense Council in 2004. This body provided a meeting place for the Secretaries of Defense of the various members countries to discuss national and regional defense projects and its implications for member states. This council met to discuss the US-Colombian military treaty in 2009, following a regional uproar in opposition to what many of Colombia's neighbours viewed as US encroachment in the region.

The formation of UNASUR had gone largely unnoticed by US policy makers due to their preoccupation with  the Middle East. However, the establishment of this regional body may supplant the American-backed Organization of American States (OAS), which has been tainted in the region since its inception because of its historic congruency with US foreign policy interests in the region, most notably its compliance with the CIA-backed coup against Jacabo Arbenz in Guatemala in 1954. In contrast, the US is not party to UNASUR, which is viewed as manifestation of regional solidarity by its Latin American member states.

It will be very interesting to see how the US responds to the ratification of the UNASUR Constitution. Although, it is very likely that it will be a non-event for them given their current preoccupation with Egypt and the Middle East,  despite the significance of UNASUR for the Americas. Neither has Canada taken a position on this new regional institutional heavyweight - although it is obvious what it should do.

In order to strengthen our role as a regional leader and to advance democratic, economic, and social development in the Americas, Canada needs to foster these important ties with UNASUR and its member states.